It's been a nightmare ... hopefully I'll be up and running soon.
I keep getting kicked off... Mike needs to do something w/ our router, per the cable guy.
And I am still so irritated over this 819 billion dollar "Porkish/Spending/Welfare Package"
I think we should go with the Obama/Limbaugh Stimulus Package... Rush has a grrreat idea.
And, it will work... and his idea will actually work.
No wasteful spending, just tax cuts.
It's about a hundred years old. I spoke of this church in my previous post. You can see the church on the table behind us in the picture. My little grandma used to always set it up w/ "snow" around it and little Christmas trees. My grandpa and grandma got married in the Naperville church wayyyy back when. She just passed away a couple years ago at the age of 101.
Matthew's Blog
If you click on Matthew's Blog... This is me ~ the one on the right in the clunky shoes,
my sister Kim in the adorable Mary Jane shoes... (that was a little sore spot back then)
and my sweet little brother Danny back in 1965. Danny joined the Angels in Heaven back in October of 1974.
There is a church in the background, my great grandfather handcrafted ... it is a replica of the beautiful Naperville, Illinois church. Mike actually refurbished it a couple years ago and it's looks awesome. I should find the picture and show you.
If I am remembering correctly, those beams are about 2000 pounds each.
Fox News was the only major national TV outlet that carried a live telecast of former President Bush's homecoming speech to cheering supporters in Midland, Texas.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2009/01/alone-among-net.html
Glenn Beck on Fox News saluted President George W. Bush with these heartfelt words:
"Mr. President, on the darkest day, you gave us hope when we were hopeless.
You were unafraid when we were terrified.
You led when nobody else wanted to.
Mr. President, you don't have any idea what you meant to me personally and my family right after 9-11.
Job well done, good and faithful servant.
Thanks."
Mr. President, I cannot myself say it better. I echo Glenn's sentiments.
Thank you and God bless you for keeping us safe.
More Americans love and are grateful to you than you realize.
If you come to Susannah's blog, there is a beautiful tribute to Bush from Time Magazine:
http://getbigideas.blogspot.com/2009/01/farewell-mr-president-and-thank-you.html
The covered porch... wah hoo, this looks fabulous. I haven't been up since the end of November.
Brr... it looks quite chilly up there. 
The corner of the porch... doesn't that tung 'n groove look awesome? Gosh it's pretty. Tim is amazing.
The air conditioning duct work. Mike and Tim are going tomorrow to get a bunch of plumbing and electrical stuff.... it's really moving along.
This is where the vents will be on the floor. I know this is kind of a boring picture... but ... it's exciting still...LOL 
Here I am at my most favorite place to eat in Sparks, Johns Oyster Bar
Lazyman's Cioppino! Jumbo shrimp, crab meat, baby shrimp and chunks of cod in a tomato base soup.. it is soo good. Comes with loaves of freshly baked bread w/ pats of soft butter!!
I'm getting a little bit of R&R ....
going to see one of my very best friends, Marci. She had some surgery and is off work for several weeks.
I haven't been to Reno since last September. I'm very excited to go see all my old friends, we have a few lunch dates scheduled. I had lived in Reno for about 20 years, thru the 80's and 90's.
Mike will be Mr. Mom. While I'm gone our new bedroom set is coming, I can't wait.
I think the new shutters will be here, too. Woo hoo.
C~Ya!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL Hugs ya'll.
p.s. We'll be going back up to Beaver next weekend, I'll post current pictures of the cabin. The deck and porch is coming along nicely, they are now putting up the tung 'n groove!!
I think the air conditioner and ducts are being put in now, too.
Mike couldn't go up to Beaver last week b/c it was snowing too bad. So he stayed home and finished up our master bedroom. We got rid of the bedroom furniture that I've had for 26 years (I was actually very sad to see it go, it was so functional) and non matching furniture. *lol*
This was the last room in the house to get attention.
Anyhoo... Mike put down maple laminate flooring, crown molding with really thick beautiful baseboards, chair rail painted white and he painted our room mint green.
Our home is french country so we wanted to keep that theme. He also put up the 20" flat screen TV we WON over 2 years ago!!! It looks awesome. We love our sleep numbers bed too. It is sooo comfie.
We went to R.C. Wiley and bought a beautiful bedroom set w/ a four poster king bed.
Some before and afters are posted below, keep scrolling.
It's tough to find lighter furniture these days ... everything is sooo dark and contemporary. We wanted lighter wood with a country look. Did not want oak.
We got so lucky, it was all on sale and it's so pretty. We'll get it this week while I'm in Reno goofing off.
Regarding our cabin, we ordered up the air conditioning and duct work. Once that gets put in, the boys can start the plumbing and electrical.
I have been a baking and cooking fool... but I'm going to slow down a bit b/c I am trying to lose weight. It's hard when I'm always making such good things. This being a stay home mom hasn't been good for my girlish figure. *lol*
My goal is to get up at 4 am, six days a week and run on the treadmill. I will take Sunday's off.
I am sick of feeling bad about myself. I don't want to leave the house when I feel so chunky.
My dear blogger friend Kate is my little support girl, she's so cute. Thanks Kate.
I am perplexed because I just run all day long after my little tornado. *big sigh* Could it be my age? Thyroid. Or .. could I just be shoving too much food in my mouth.
We planned to only get a couple dressers b/c we knew someday Mike would make us a headboard. Then we saw this.
We got the bed, two of those nightstands, the dresser on the right and a "gentleman's dresser" not shown. It's real pretty.
This will look pretty in our "french country" house. 
I loved this bed... it had all kinds of drawers and cabinets. I bought this when I was only 22 yrs old. This was the very first thing we ever bought on credit ... and the very last thing we bought on credit besides our home. I was so sad to get rid of it ~but then again, I don't like change ~ that's just me.
This is our new Sleep Number Bed. Let me tell you, it is sooo comfortable!! Now we know what the big deal is. My mom, sister and brother in law all have one. They got us started.
Mike putting up the crown molding. We'll be getting our new white shutters next week.
Mike laying down the maple laminate flooring. He's done our whole house.
Look, no wires! We're so excited. We won this TV at a Christmas party over 2 years ago and we're just now getting around to using it. Didn't Mike do a good job!
Aren't they so cute! This is Mike's very first squad and he's like a proud papa. LOL
We treated the guys to some yummy Memphis Bar & Grill black eyed peas w/ ham during briefing so that they would have extra good luck for the entire year.
Do you know more than the first couple sentences of this cool New Years Eve song?
Well, I never did until a guy on the radio asked... so Mike and I looked it up.
Auld Lang Syne ~ "For old time's sake" or "to the good old days" may be modern-day expressions, in common use as a toast, that capture the spirit of "for auld lang syne."
If you want to know the lyrics to the song, check this out ... it's pretty neat. Scroll down a bit on the link for the lyrics.
Now, for the BEST PART!
Auld Lang Syne (Millennium Mix) Video ~ this is soo awesome! Played by Kenny G w/ little soundbites of major news stories/events in the 20th Century. The very end is my favorite part.
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!
Happy New Year Black Eyed Peas ~ have good luck the entire year!
Mom went to Memphis Bar and Grill yesterday and bought some of their black eyed peas ... and OMG, were they ever good! I found this recipe on All Recipes.com and it looks awesome as well.
INGREDIENTS
1 pound dry black-eyed peas
2 cups chopped cooked ham
salt and pepper to taste
1 pinch garlic powder
2 onions, diced
1 (14.5 ounce) can whole tomatoes
DIRECTIONS
Place black-eyed peas in 8 quart pot. Add enough water to fill pot 3/4 full. Stir in ham and diced onions, and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Place tomatoes in a blender or food processor, and blend until the tomatoes are liquefied. Add tomatoes to pot. Bring all ingredients to boil. Cover the pot, and simmer on low heat for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the peas are tender.
